9.02.2014

Are you alive?

I have just returned from a verrry last minute but very nice holiday. Every year my family makes the great journey to Cornwall from all corners of where we individually live, I often grumble as it is 8 hrs minimum for us but my Uncle trumps me by far coming all the way from Tanzania. However this year we were sadly not going to make the trip as we are having our extension built but to cut a long story short my lovely little Granny hasn't been feeling too well and I thought I should go down and see her, if she can make it at 82, then so can I! So a quick discussion with if the hubster about could they cope without me for 5 nights which he leapt for joy at...they are not trying to hurt my feelings but they are always grateful for 'Boy Time'. In this house it basically means I'm not trying to make them ALL eat something non beige, have a bath and randomly checking us them for lumps. So leaving 3 very happy boys at home in building chaos (heaven for them) within 24 hrs I was on a 9 hr train journey Penzance bound. At first I wasn't feeling that happy about it as I hate being rushed, I am fantastic 'faffer' and only had a few hours to list make and pack but once I was settled in my first class empty carriage, only ticket I could get at short notice (oh.dear.me how awful) and then the silence settled in. Not a sticky person in sight just several fresh magazines and a cuppa.....I could get used to this!

Apparently people like to plug in straighteners....

Meanwhile in Daddy Daycare, within 15mins of dropping me off at the train station I had a text from the husband to say the boys had their first McDonalds of the week...nothing against the Golden Archs but the boys rarely have them, I also got a photo showing that Daddy had immediately given them £10 each from their piggy banks to go wild in 'Smyths' toy store...when for 4 and 2 £10 is like being millionaires, no wonder they love 'Boy Time' so much. Thank fully the train journey went smoothly, its years since I've been on one and I forgot the mix of 'characters' you get. I am always amazed at just how selfish some people can be though, and I was quickly inventing a 'Morons Only' carriage in my head when on the 'Quiet Carriage' a couple were facetiming their whole family? I also discovered when I changed at Exeter that 'Trainspotting' is a real thing, nothing to do with Heroin, but people actual go and stand on a platform and tick off the trains they have seen. I was amazed/ open mouthed when I was approached by one asking for "any old train tickets"...do they know about Sky TV I wonder?! Anywhoo I arrived in Penzance in one piece with the mother bear waiting for me and perfect timing as there was a champagne reception for my cousins engagement.

Only took 15mins.

Millionaires!

At this point the boys were probably on their 4th McDonalds in 24hrs but I didn't care as exactly 483 miles I was in literal HEAVEN. The hotel I was staying at was out of this world, called Mount Haven Hotel every member of staff was immediately like a friend, a fluffy robe waiting on my bed, a view of St Michael's Mount and little treats on tap. It was so nice to see Granny and all my cousins there were 52 of us on holiday so constantly someone to natter with, which is just as well because let me inform you that the entire county of Cornwall has NO signal. Now I don't want to go on about it but how are people in this day and age supposed to live like this?! Out of 52 of us only 3 phones worked in the area we were staying....I call the husband when I'm lost in the Supermarket for gods sake, this is also neglecting my total addiction to social media. It wasn't until a week later when I was driving through a patch of signal (about a nano second wide) and a message came though from the brother "Are you alive?"...I think this sums me up and why I literally had a huff on about every other hour that my phone was now just an ornament.

Spoilt Rotten.

Just a spot of dinner....

Not a bad view from my room...

After two days of not a care in the world (well apart from no wifi) I really started to miss the boys, I'm not joking the silence became almost deafening and I had read 5 magazines and a book cover to cover. Also the family were pestering me to see the boys so I put it to the husband to come down afterall, and despite the 10hr drive ahead I think malnourishment was setting in and they were here the next day; so the whole gang was together and my cousin asked Archie to be a page boy next which he said no to but I'm sure he will warm to the idea! It took about 10 minutes to thoroughly regret my decision and mild home sickness when it was now like having two chimpanzees in my plush hotel room ha ha. It was worth it though, to have a week of beach fun and see all the family. We continued our annual tradition of going to The Meadery which is basically a pirate themed restaurant in... Penzance (naturally) and serves the greasiest grub known to man kind. Oscar was tucked up in bed at his great aunts house but Archie was allowed to make his first great pilgrimage however had to sit with us; adults and kids normally divide. It was quite funny though because it looked like me and the husband were on a #datenight if we only looked to the left, if we looked to the right...not so much.

Woke up to this.

Why did I ask them to come down?

Beach Fun.

Grubbing as always.

Everyone loves burying Oscar.

Date Night....

Noooooot!

We decided to break up the journey home, by having a day at Legoland which was SO awful I'm not even going to mention it and stay a few nights at Granny's house in Surrey; which was thankfully not awful but really lovely. I spent a lot of my childhood visiting Granny and Grandpa so it was nice to show the boys around especially the amazing gardens...ideal for 2 chimpanzees to go wild. The best thing though is all the fresh produce, it is clearly the pride and joy of the house but with not as many staying this Summer a lot was going to waste so Granny insisted we help our selves. Well you don't have to tell us twice and the day we left we had a lovely couple of hours picking all sorts, Oscar it has to be said ATE more than picked, he was covered in blackberry juice and I even caught him eating a raw potato. Still its been nicked named "The Great Harvest" and we have eaten so well, I've been cooking like mad this week and will try and post some of the recipes when I get a minute. I'm totally now encouraged to try and grow some stuff of our own next year, it all tasted so good. Anyway ripped from the warm cocoon of warm nights, lazy mornings and straight back into reality, first day of school, routines, chill in the air...goodbye summer you were awesome.

Best thing about Legoland.

Back to nature.

Running wild.

Eating more than picking.

No pants, happy as a pig in the proverbial

Plum and Stem Ginger Crumble.

Apple Pie.

Choritzo stuffed marrow.

White chocolate and rasper berry scones.

Rhubarb and Coconut cake.

Hope you have all had a fantastic Summer! Ash xox

7 comments:

My best friend is getting married in Cornwall next year and I'm already thinking ARGGGHH! It couldn't really be any further away from the North East. I have a feeling I might be able to fly though? (Fingers crossed!) Saying that travelling 1st Class by train isn't all that bad, the few times I've got to do it it's been rather lovely - always so peaceful with no stag parties or large groups of giggling girls (Im such a grumpy old lady!) I've done a fair bit of train travelling over the years, especially when I was up to Newcastle from London every few weeks to see Simon .... I used to get so annoyed by folk on the train the only way I could get through it was to use my #trainrage hash tag on Twitter!

Hilarious your boys were all waving you out the door. I'm off to London for a week in December and when I told Simon he was grinning from ear to ear ... you could immediately see in his face that he'd already started planning to spend entire days playing X Box and eating pizza - they never grow up :)

Can't even imagine going on holiday with 52 people! That's epic! Shame you couldn't fly your boys in for a few hours to say hello and then fly them back out again eh?

You have hit the nail on the head there with the boys Chloe! As for Cornwall, I have done it every way, flying is OK but its easy to get delayed and stops in Cardiff then takes off again zzzzz plus you need a lift from Newquay or Plymouth. Car is good but then if you hit traffic your knackered, the husband got a 3hr jam on the M6 and Oscar was car sick from starting and stopping...and 3 Mc Donalds probably. If the train isn't too pricey (mine was extortionate last minute) I would recommend that. Time stopping for the loo, snacks or in the airport lounge is spent travelling on the train a 9hr journey usually is 9hrs and your there, I quite enjoyed it, let the train take the strain! I am all over this #trainrage now ha ha, so many weird people out there. Good Luck x

We have booked our holiday in a cottage in Rock next August for 2 weeks - I am so excited! We used to travel down to Cornwall as a child - myself and my brother used to sleep in the boot of our estate car and the suitcases were strapped to the roof! Happy days! I have driven a few times to the other end of the country with the kids before and generally found they behave better on longer journeys than shorter ones!

Your photo's look amazing - love the view from your hotel room. I am intrigued with what you thought of legoland though?

Aw lovely making great memory's for you and the kids! I quite like a long journey IF it goes well its good family time.

Legoland was just horrible, Archie adores Lego and its only 40 minutes from my Grannys so I thought we would make the effort to be fair it was a bit lack of planning on our part too. However It took an hour to drive in from the front gate sat in ques, they had ran out of parking so we had to pay £4 to park in a field?! Which was 15 minute walk with a 4 and 2yr old to the entrance. We got to the ticket booths and waited 40 minutes to buy a ticket and only when we were close did we see it was £43 a person!!! Luckily Oscar was free and I had cut out a little voucher from some crisps that I thought would save about £2 but actually saved £43 on Archie. So over £90 poorer we enter the busiest place I have ever been and I've been to Seaworld Florida on Christmas Eve. Everything was heaving they had no strollers left to hire so had to carry Oscar most the day and all the rides/shows had over an hours wait we literally went on NOTHING. It was mega expensive for other things, we paid £7.50 for a drink with a Lego theme cup....which we waited 15 minutes to buy and only did because the boys were gutted not to go on anything. The toilets were disgusting, the Lego displays although were cool were about 20yrs old dirty and faded (Red was more pink etc) and every member of staff was a grumpy 15yr old without a clue. Never been so disappointed and I have written a letter of complaint. Ha ha I think that sums it up. x

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